Customer Reviews

Reichschancellery

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I recently obtained a copy of Ray & Josephine Cowdery's new book THE NEW GERMAN REICHSCHANCELLERY. I have several of their previous books, including an older book on the same subject. This book is different; it's more comprehensive, with more, never-seen-before photographs and the chronological progression of the Reichschancellery itself. . I have an extensive German WWII reading library. I would rate their new Reichschancellery book among the top five books in my library. I have been to Europe several times with the Cowdery's. This book parallels their superbly conducted WWII German history tours. You can count on three things when you pick up a book written by the Cowdery's, its: (1) interesting, (2) comprehensive, and (3) factual. The first time I picked up the REICHSCHANCELLERY book it was fun just to take a cursory look at it and review all the photos and illustrations of the Reichschancellery itself. The next time I reviewed all the photos in detail, helping me link the various rooms of the Reichschancellery together. There were so many great photographs that it was like taking a virtual tour of the Reichschancellery itself. The third time I sat down and digested all the information surrounding the planning, building, and operation of the Reichschancellery. Nothing was left out. The Reichschancellery was one of the great buildings of the 20th century; it should be studied from political, historical, and engineering perspectives. This book covers it all. If you are a student of WWII German history this is a "must have" book you'll review over and over again.

I ordered this book without never had the opportunity to look inside it. I found a very well written book, full of informations about the Adolf Hitler-Albert Speer Reichschancellery, a really impressive building of great historical value. The paper is great. The book is full of exceptional color and black and white pictures of the building (front, back, inside) that I think you can't find elsewhere. If you, like me, are interested in reading and studying the Third Reich history I can onestly say that this book is simply a musthave. An exceptional item. In the end I point out the section dedicated to the german manufacturers that were responsible for the construction of the building. Fantastic. You can find 1930's advertising pages from those industries, things that I really think you can't find elsewhere. And last but not least you will find the architectural plans for the building so you will have the opportunity to understand completly the Reichschancellery structure and appering. My only complaint is that I thought this book was a little bigger (not in terms of pages, they are 126 if I remember correctly, just in terms of dimensions, but this is my fault and in the end it is not something that you can't pass over). Maybe I would have appreciated some more pictures of the ruined building, after the bombings. Pictures taken by the Allied troups that entered the building. I think that there must be a lot of them somewhere. Anyway you can buy this book with confidence. Cowdery's did a great job for sure!

The Third Reich came to an abrupt end almost sixty years ago and, though time alone cannot heal all wounds, today it is possible to look with fresh eyes upon things that once produced emotions of hatred, fear, suffering and cruel death. Of themselves, public buildings are usually seen as neither good nor evil, though the Coliseum in Rome can never outlast the muffled cries of the early Christians and others who were once tortured and killed there for the entertainment of the masses. Nor can the vastness of that public square outside the Kremlin buildings in Moscow be visited without the mind flashing back to a not-too-distant time when military aggression and might paraded there to intimidate the whole world.

And so it is  or was  with the seat of power in Adolf Hitlers Berlin. When he came to that power in January, 1933, the Reichschancellery consisted of a run-down eighteenth century mansion connected to a small and colorless office building put up in 1929-30. Obviously not an edifice indicative of a new political movement that presented itself as dynamic and energetic. And as a tangible symbol of that energy, a gigantic new complex was created to exemplify that movement, in less than one year, including the furnishings.

Much has been written about Professor Albert Speer. He was a talented artist who had the organizational skills of a modern corporate CEO and, like the other zealots of his masters political movement, he possessed seemingly boundless energy. It was Speer who designed and brought this mammoth complex to life, this New Reichschancellery.

When the building was opened to the public on January 12, 1939, a new book documenting its creation was already off the press  an elaborate and beautiful book of coffee table-sized proportions (12x15") that presented the new building in impressive color and black-and-white photos and in the glowing words of its new inhabitant, as well as those of well-known architects, artists and designers. This book is a rare and welcome addition to ones history library  when it can be found.

Ray Cowdery took upon himself the task of preserving the New Reichschancellery  in word and photograph  and he published his first book dedicated to that subject in 1987. Produced in the same size as Speers book was in 1939, Cowderys Hitlers New German Reichschancellery In Berlin 1938  1945 included many of the original photos in color and black-and-white as were found in Speers publication, together with information about the eventual destruction of the complex by the Soviets in December 1949.

Today, Cowderys 1987 publication is almost as hard to find as Speers original book. On the other hand, much more information has come to light over the past sixteen years. That brings us up to today, with Ray and Josephine Cowderys new book, The New German Reichschancellery In Berlin 1938  1945. Simply speaking, the Cowderys have outdone themselves. While this new book is slightly smaller than its two predecessors (9x11½"), it contains twice the number of pages as the 1987 edition and equals that of Speers original. The number of color and black-and-white photos has greatly increased, while the quality of the photos equals that of the 1939 work. It is enhanced by drawings and paintings of the Voss Street construction site. New and expanded information is present, including material on the Old Reichschancellery, the furniture and silverware created for the new seat of government, and biographical sketches of the major artists and designers who contributed to this monumental building project.

It is difficult to limit my comments and my praise for the Cowderys new book. One may only hope that they will consider producing companion works of similar depth and quality on the Führerbau and the Haus der Deutschen Kunst in Munich, the Berghof on the Obersalzberg, and other monumental sites so often lost to the ages.

The errors I noticed in the excellent book, Reichschancellery are as follows:

p. 105 Russian casualties are listed at 20,000. When I visited Treptower Park in 1971 - the guide said that 20,000 are buried there and the total casualties were about 100,000. Later, many historians put the count at 300,000 even 600,000 as Zukhov and Koniev were actually firing on each other in the battle.
Russian soldiers did not wear dog tags which would make the count very difficult to do and their sloppy and bad tactics cost them dearly in casulties.

p. 120 Sepp Dietrich was awarded the Knight's Cross w/Oak Leaves, SWORDS and Diamonds - only 27 soldiers received this award during the war.

p. 122 Bibilography - bottom left of page and top of right page - Die Kunst im Dritten Reich is listed twice.

I have visited Berlin in 1971, 1973, 1974/1975, 1976 and finally in 1987. I was trying to find Vosstrasse and Wilhemstrasee but was 'discouraged' by an East German guard and I personally knew one of the Adjutants who served at the RK in 1938-1940.

is a word that is a no-no when talking about the Third Reich era, but you cannot help but feel exactly that when reading this SUPERB book. The depictions about the New Riechchancellery, both images and words transport you to the past to appreciate the beauty and meaning of this lost building.
I specially liked the lack of political passion, the lack of any bias of the autors. Besides, the fact that they seem to master the German language makes the book very comprenhesive and full of interesting data.
I had never seen those terrific, beautiful and high quality pictures of the Neuen Reichskanzlei.
One very interesting part of the book is the short biographies of artists like Kurt Schmid-Ehmen, the sculptor that made those famous eagles with swastikas in their claws that we all have seen on films and TV and that of course adorned many parts of the building.
The book has also plenty of maps and plans that put you in context.
Other aspect of the book is to realize the pride that Germans felt during this era, how life had changed for them and how buildings like the New Reichschancellery epitomized these changes. Makes you understand.
This book will mesmerize you and will help to understand an historic era beyond TV reruns and B-movies.

Cowdery's older book on the same subject, the oversized version, was a beautiful volume, but this may be even better. The pictures here aren't as grand as in the former, in terms of sheer size, but this book offers many new pictures and illustrations, and there is plenty of new material to consider.

There isn't much available about the New Reichschancellery, but of the books out there this is easily the best. One can tell the Cowderys hold a special interest in the subject matter, and thus have put together a very thorough and fine book, meticulously researched and presented.

The New Reichschancellery was an incredible structure, built in a difficult time; unfortunately its value and historical significance are tainted because of the goons that commissioned and inhabited it. If one can separate the two, then the building can be appreciated for its splendor.

Great book. If you're interested in the RC or architecture in general I really recommend this book. Loaded with details, schematics, blue prints, full page color images, and planning notes. Really interesting book on a building with a really amazing story that has been completely removed.